A&L Goodbody sets up German group to target investment

The group of lawyers is headed by partner Adrian Burke and includes lawyers Keary Ryan, Ciara McLoughlin and Kathi Ó Riain, who all speak fluent German and already spend a significant amount of time working in the country.

A&L Goodbody has previously advised clients on inward investment from Germany to Ireland, as well as work going in the opposite direction. Trade between the two countries totals €12.5bn (£10.2bn), German companies employ 20,000 people in Ireland and Irish companies employ around 10,000 people in Germany.

Burke said in a statement: “A significant number of Irish owned companies are actively pursuing growth in Germany with exports to the country rising in excess of 20% last year. Our German group will support these companies with a full range of legal services, spanning a number of specialist practice areas and industry groups.”

A&L Goodbody has been expanding its international reach in the past year, launching a Palo Alto office in December (22 December 2011) and setting up a secondment programme with Chinese law firms (29 March 2012).